Reading List

Part journey to six continents in pursuit of delicious and endangered tastes, part investigation of the loss of biodiversity from soil to plate–tells the story of what we are losing, how we are losing it, and the inspiring people and places that are bringing back to the foods we love. Especially enjoyed the flavor guides in the back of the book which are very helpful when tasting wine, chocolate, coffee, beer and bread.

Found this book on the $1 rack of used books at the Avon, CO Library and its a goldmine of practical information. There is advice on how to start a garden, the measurements and how much to plant to achieve optimal yields, layout designs and plans for planting companion vegetables as well as advice on how to water, fertilize and harvest individual vegetables and fruits. A great resource!!!

American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America, by Michelle Obama, New York: Crown Publishers, 2012.

This book is a joy to read. It tells the story of gardens at the White House including Michelle Obama’s mission to promote healthy eating to kids to Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden and the history of Thomas Jefferson’s beds. There are stories of community gardens across America, recipes, beautiful photographs of the White House gardens, vegetables and ideas on how to build a compost box, raise bees and work with school communities to grow food and share healthy eating with its students.

This is the first vegetable gardening book I found that addresses the unique growing conditions and challenges of growing vegetables in the Rocky Mountain region. Authors highlight how to select, grow, and harvest a host of vegetables that will succeed in the region and offer tips for extending the season.

Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza, Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 1998.

The author advises readers to build soil up, “instead of digging down,” by simply layering organic materials onto a prospective garden site and close-planting directly into it. Together with generous mulching, she contends, this process eliminates some of gardening’s more labor-intensive chores: tilling, double-digging, weeding and frequent watering. She zeroes in on the specific areas of interest, including vegetables, herbs, berries and flowers, providing an abundance of detail on a wide selection of planting materials. Lanza has refined this age-old garden method into a step-by-step procedure that makes it easy for first-time gardeners to use. I’ve incorporated some of these methods in my gardens with great success.

This book inspires a flower lover like myself with beautiful photos of the renowned Floret Farm and stunning arrangement made with their blooms. More importantly, this beautiful guide provides advice on growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round and shares vital tools on how to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms to create showstopping arrangements. A book I simply had to have!!

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Hi, I am an avid gardener both at home and at Rosedale Community Garden where I've had a plot for 19 years. I am very interested in learning more about gardening, how to preserve it, incorporating farm fresh produce into my cooking and living a healthy lifestyle. In addition, I am a Master Community Gardener through Denver Urban Gardens and am a shareholder at the Chatfield CSA. In 2015, I spearheaded an effort to start a community donation garden at St. Philip's Lutheran Church -- a project I will share on my blog. I am eager to share what I've learned and the adventures I had learning new things and interacting with the garden community.